In June 1983, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport announced that Indianapolis was one of the cities being considered as the site for a United States fitness academy. In 1984, the academy staff decided to pursue development in California. Indianapolis business and community leaders, however, made a commitment to go forward with plans for a major center for health and physical fitness research and education.
The establishment of the National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) was part of the city’s urban renewal strategy to position Indianapolis as a national and international leader in amateur sports and physical fitness. The institute was a public/private project funded by ($6 million), the State of Indiana ($3 million), and the City of Indianapolis ($3 million). The $10.5 million center opened on November 1, 1988.
The 117,000-square-foot facility is located near the Indiana University Natatorium on land owned by (IUPUI) and leased to NIFS. A not-for-profit organization, NIFS continues to be funded by corporate, agency, and individual contributions.
The mission of the institute is to be a national center for research, education, and service, through which the latest information on human health, physical fitness, and athletic performance can evolve and benefit both aspiring and elite athletes. The institute is a comprehensive resource for fitness and sports development and human performance research. It partners with IU Executive Health and the to conduct these research projects. The findings for many of them have been published in national peer-reviewed journals and other publications. It also offers a professional staff and extensive health, nutrition, and fitness programs for people of all ages and abilities, and it conducts education and certification programs that draw a national audience.
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